Pick Up The Pieces TN

10/25/2025

If you’re in Nashville join us this Monday evening! Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

10/24/2025

October is flying by — have you finished your Halloween preparations yet?

Before the big night, take a moment to think about how your home can be more welcoming for all trick-or-treaters.

- Offer treats in easy-to-reach spots
- Lower bright lights or loud sound effects
- Include non-food options for kids with allergies or dietary needs
- Skip jump scares — save those for grown-ups
- Remember: some kids may not say “trick or treat,” wear costumes, or look their age — and that’s OK!

Let’s make this Halloween a little brighter for every child in the neighborhood. 💛

🔗 connectingforkids.org/halloween

ID: An orange and black graphic titled “Inclusive Halloween Tips for Families” from Connecting for Kids. It features five boxes with suggestions: Think Access (offer treats where kids don’t need to climb steps), Be Sensory Friendly (lower sound effects and lighting), Non-Food Treats (for allergies), Offer Treats for All (avoid judgment), and Limit Scares (save them for grown-ups). The Connecting for Kids logo appears at the top.

10/24/2025

Stay Informed with TNSTEP! Did you know that we offer free online trainings, webinars, and videos designed to help families better understand special education, transition planning, and so much more?

Parents, caregivers, educators: We have tools to support you! Pull up a chair and explore our virtual training library today: https://tnstep.info

10/24/2025

10/23/2025

We are so excited to announce a partnership with My Happy Place Center for our retreat. They will be offering care for disabled adults at their center during the retreat. To access, use ticket labeled "ticket plus adult care." Only 5 spots for that are available, so get yours now!

10/22/2025

📣 TRIAD Autism Webinar Series: Behavioral Support Strategies for Autistic Learners

🧠 A four-part virtual series designed to equip educators with effective strategies for supporting autistic students.

🗓️ Dates (2–3 p.m. CST):

• Nov. 12 – A Focus on Relating

Reflect on current understandings of autism, explore the social model of disability, and learn strategies to build strong adult–student relationships.

• Dec. 10 – A Focus on Redirecting

Compare bottom-up and top-down processing, explore redirection techniques, and create a prompt hierarchy to build skill fluency.

• Jan. 14 – A Focus on Responding

Identify levels of challenging behavior, examine the impact of masking and interoception, and develop a response plan tailored to student needs.

• Feb. 11 – A Focus on Refocusing

Connect refocusing strategies to covert behaviors, analyze the effects of meltdowns, and create recovery plans for individuals and groups.

📘 Each session builds on the last—attending all is recommended but not required.

🔗 Register now to gain practical tools and insights: https://redcap.vumc.org/surveys/?s=CRNNYTYXHE7H7RWN

10/22/2025

10/22/2025

This weekend we are fortunate to host The Experience Community Church’s special needs ministry, Emerge, for their Fall Fest!
🍂 Join Emerge on October 25 from 9-11 for sensory fun at We Rock the Spectrum Murfreesboro!
🎟️ sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-bkYoHJ2SdxXqs1gHr4yxNlcX6TRjKnoPdzaKP-ZbefzmNw/viewform

10/22/2025

Meet Joey Ellis, TNSTEP’s Director of Youth Services! Joey has helped hundreds of families across Tennessee understand the IEP process and find their voice at the table.

He’ll be leading The Next Step: IEP Planning workshop this Thursday, October 23rd, a perfect opportunity to get your questions answered in a welcoming, supportive environment! 💙 Join us: 5:00–7:00 PM CT at UT Southern, Gault Fine Arts Center.

Thank you to our sponsor: Rural Disability Resource Network at UT Southern.

Reserve your spot today!